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GAR BUFFER.

Patented Aug. '7, 1894.

f No, 524,217.

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'GAR BUFFER.

No. 524,217. Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

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GAR BUFFER Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

5 Fig. S is a similar view of the stationary To a/ZZ whom, it mayconcermof the frame.

lwith my improved buffer. Fig. 2 is a top plan ftical longitudinalsection in line 5-5, Fig. 2,

. the several figures.

. which slide in the sockets d of the base plate.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, ASSIGNOR 'IO THE GOULD OOUPLERCOMPANY, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-BUFFER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,217, dated August7, 1894.

Application iiled March 2'7, 1894.

Be it known thatLWILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Bualo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Butters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a car buer which is designed more particularlyfor freight and cattle carsfalthough it is also applicable to othercars.

Myinvention has for its object to construct an elective buffer which isreadily applied to a car and which does not require the end sill orother timbers of the car frame to be slotted or recessed, therebyavoiding weakening In the accompanying drawings consisting of threesheetsz-Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a freight car,provided view of the buer, partlyin section. Fig. 3 is an end viewthereof. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the buffenshowing theposition thereof, when the cars round a curve. Fig. 5 is a veron anenlarged scale. Fig. Gis a detached perspective view of the oscillatingbuffer, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the yoke orfollower which carries the buffer.

bracket or base plate of the buffer.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in A is the end sill ofthe car frame, B the draw-head and C the draft gear, which parts may beof any ordinary construction.

D is a transverse base plate or bracket secured to the end of the `carbody above the draw-head and having horizontal sockets d d, whichproject forwardly from the base plate and are connected by a reinforcingrib D.

E is the buffer or transverse buer plate, and F is a horizontal yoke orframe which carries the butter plate and which is capable of moving uponthe base plate toward and from the end of the car. This yoke is providedat its ends with tubular followers or sleeves F',

These sockets are provided on their inner sides with longitudinal slotsd for the pas- Serial No. 505,240. (No model.)

sage of the yoke. The outward movement of the followersA is limited byradial pins or bolts d2 secured to the sockets d and projecting inwardly through longitudinal slots d3 formed 55 in the followers, asshown in Fig. 5.` The buffer plate is pivoted centrally to the yoke F,by a vertical pin e, whereby the plate is permitted to swing at an angleto the end of the car in roundingcurves.

G G represent light buffer springs which tend to retain the oscillatingbuerin its normal position parallel with the end of the car, and whichresist any ordinary shocks received by the4 buer. TheseV springs pass65v through the tubular followers of the yoke F, and bear at their rearends against the base plate D, and at their front ends against the rearside of the buffer plate, on opposite sides wardly flaring sockets e',in which the front portions of the light buffer springs are confined.

H H^represent heavy buer springs which supplement the light buffersprings and which are adapted to come into action when the bufferreceives a heavy shock which overcornes the resistance of the lightsprings. These heavy buffer springs are arranged 8o within the tubularfollowers of the yoke F, around the light springs, and each of suchheavy springs abuts at its rear end against the base plate D, while itsfront end is adapted to bear against an inwardly projecting flange 8 5or shoulder f, formed in the front portion of the adjacent tubularfollower, when the buffer plate is forced inward beyond its ordinaryposition by a violent shock. For this purpose the heavy springs are soshort that 9o the internal anges of the followers do not reach the frontends of such ordinary circumstances. The light buffer springs arepreferably so long that when the buffer is in normal contact with thebuer of an opposing car, the springs are slightly compressed, but not tosuch an extent as to interfere with the easy. coupling and uncoupling ofthe cars. These springs, under light springs cushion the buffer andresist roo any ordinary shocks received by the same.- The inwardmovement of the buer and its carrying yoke produced by ordinary shocksis not sufficient to cause the flanges f ofl the followers to come incontact with the front ends of the heavy buffer springs, but in case thebner receives a severe shock which overpowers the light springs, theflanges strike the front ends of the heavy buffer springs and compressthe same, thereby easing the shock and also protecting the draft gearfrom injury.

The light springs while cushioning the buffer against ordinary blowspermit the buer .to oscillate in rounding a curve and right the samewhen the car again passes upon a straight section of track.

The parts of my improved car buffer are all arranged on the outer orfront side of the end sill and the formation of slots or recessesrequired by the use of ordinary car buffers, is therefore obviated, thuspreserving the strength of the end sill.

The parts of the bner may all be cast at a comparatively small cost, andthe buffer forms an attachment, complete in itself, which is readilyapplied to an ordinary car.

The vertical bolts z' which secure the carrier I of the draw head shankto the frame timbers preferably pass through the bottom liange of thebase plate D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a car buffer, the combination with thebase plate or bracket secured to the end of the 2. The combination withthe end sill of a car, of a base plate or bracket secured to the outerside of the end sill, a transverse yoke or frame guided on said baseplate or bracket and capable of moving toward and from the latter, abuer plate mounted on said yoke, and buffer springs which resist theinward movement of said yoke, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the end sill of a car, of a base plate orbracket secured to the outer side of the end sill, a transverse yoke orframe guided on said base plate and capable of moving toward and fromthe latter, an oscillatory buer plate pivoted to said yoke, heavy buffersprings interposed between said yoke and the base plate and lightsprings interposed between the oscillatory buffer plate and the baseplate, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car buffer, the combination with the base plate havingsockets,of a yoke having followers guided in said sockets, a buffer platemounted on said yoke, light buffersprings interposed between said baseplate and the bnffer plate and heavy buffer springs abutting againstsaid base plate and adapted to be compressed by said followers,substantially as set forth.

5. In a car buffer, the combination with the base plate having sockets,of a yoke having followers guided in said sockets, and provided with ashoulder or flange, light buffer springs interposed between the baseplate and the buffer plate and heavy buffer springs arranged in thesockets of-the base plate between the latter and the shoulders orflanges of the followers, substautially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 14th day of March, 189i.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

JNO. J. BONNER, ELLA R. DEAN.

